My youngest son once saw a deer at the end of our driveway. Though I’ve yet to see one right in the yard, I have often encountered evidence of their presence: recently, some droppings near the property line at back and in the past, sounds of deer bolting away from me during walks along the forest trails.
Deer most often cross paths with me while I’m driving, usually along Bissett Road. This past August, I had to stop for a mother and her two fawns crossing Cow Bay Road near the turn off to Rainbow Haven Beach. They looked so fragile.
My friend Linda sees five deer regularly in the field behind her home in nearby Eastern Passage. She says it’s a joy to see them, but I believe it’s also a stress buster. Deer look so peaceful and calm, especially when they’re grazing. If watching aquarium fish can lower blood pressure, as has been proven by scientists at Purdue University in Indiana, then watching deer grazing must surely have a positive effect on one’s health as well.
So here’s my prescription for dealing with stress: watch two deer grazing. Repeat daily until symptoms disappear. If deer can’t be found, substitute with other wild or domestic animals. Don’t worry about negative side effects. There are none. Don’t neglect to overdose regularly.
Photo credit: Linda Hulme
February 13, 2009 at 10:18 am
Ohhh! What a lovely, heart-warming post!
In the absence of deer in my garden, I am going to seek out my cat… She spends most of her time just lying around… or cleaning herself… Completely unaffected by the stresses of modern life.
I *know* what you mean by learning from animals how to deal with stress and anxiety.
Thank God they exist.
February 13, 2009 at 5:20 pm
[...] Friday, 13 February 2009 by Reggie One of my favourite bloggers from an exquisitely beautiful neck of the woods (literally, I think) in Canada recently put up a post about the deeply calming effects of observing deer grazing. [...]
February 23, 2009 at 8:42 am
My 7 month old daughter, as 7 month old humans are wont to do, got herself all worked up about something t’other day, to the point where one was left at a bit of a loss as to what to do. I never like to see her getting upset, crying, etc, even if it is “just what babies do.” I had a bit of a brainwave, remembering that she is often captivated by trees, when she is out for a walk…
I picked her up… took her outside (still screaming her head off by this point)… and walked her around some trees… she quickly settled down, relaxed, even started smiling!
We don’t have deer nearby, but one can never underestimate the healing/de-stressing power of nature…
February 23, 2009 at 10:17 am
What a great way to calm down a baby pepsoid. I used to do this with my oldest son who often seemed to cry for no reason. It always worked. Trees certainly do something marvelous to our brains.
February 25, 2009 at 8:51 am
[...] A piece by Flandrumhill on deer-gazing has inspired me to write a few words on the influence of nature upon my little girl – or how I would like my daughter to be influenced by nature. Firstly I will quote verbatim a comment I made on Flandrum’s piece… [...]
February 25, 2009 at 8:52 am
I think such things get us in touch with our primal natures… and such things!
February 26, 2009 at 1:08 am
I’m glad you found the post so inspiring pepsoid